Site visit to FOSKOR, Richards Bay
SASTA’s offering to members includes site visits and field days.
These visits are frequently outside of the sugar industry and therefore provide exposure to different processes, practices, technologies and perspectives.
SASTA members visited FOSKOR Richards Bay towards the end of 2024. Because of the high number of members interested in attending, two separate visits were undertaken (19 September and 28 November 2024) to comply with FOSKOR’s safety requirement. During the visit we learned how FOSKOR has grown from a single phosphate mining operation 72 years ago to become
one of the world’s largest, most dynamic phosphate and phosphoric acid producers.
The original mine at Phalaborwa is still in operation and provides high quality Phosphate Rock (In the form of powder) to the Richards Bay plant. This raw material is processed by the Phosphoric Acid Plant in a wet process where the rock is digested by sulphuric acid to form phosphoric acid and calcium sulphate (gypsum). The processes involved include filtration, concentration by
multiple effect evaporation, and clarification (sound familiar?). The market for phosphoric acid includes NPK products, animal feed, and food stabilisers.
The majority of the steam needed to drive the Phosphoric Acid Plant comes from the Sulphuric Acid Plant where imported solid sulphur is burned to form sulphur dioxide (and heat to produce steam). The sulphur dioxide is then processed to form sulphuric acid. This final product is sold to the paper, battery and water treatment industries.
The third main plant on the FOSKOR site is the Granulation Plant which uses imported ammonia and phosphoric acid from the phosphoric acid plant to produce solid granular fertiliser. The processes used include mixing, screening, drying, cooling and coating. The final product is sold both locally and internationally to the fertiliser industry.
The site visit included boardroom presentations, the answering of numerous questions, a bus ride through the factory (with stopping points) and a delicious lunch.
Of particular interest to the engineers amongst us were some of the similarities with sugar technology processes and the highly integrated nature of the site where products from one plant become the feed or energy source for other plants. Of interest to the agricultural contingent were the production of both granular fertiliser mono-ammonium phosphate (MAP) at the granulation plant, and gypsum, as a byproduct from the phosphoric acid plant. MAP is a commonly used fertiliser during the planting of sugarcane, while gypsum is used as a soil ameliorant by growers in
large areas of our industry as a source of sulphur, as well as to combat subsoil acidity. It was an eye-opener to see the enormous stocks of MAP in the warehouses awaiting dispatch to customers.
A big thank you to the FOSKOR team for hosting us and especially for being so generous with their time and knowledge.
by Warren Lawlor and Dr Ruth Rhodes
(SASTA Councillors)
